John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

To take up Senator Mansergh's point, we have seen people, who were not fit to be chairmen of the Ballygobackwards cumann, appointed to semi-State bodies and are so regarded by many people. Nothing in the text of the amendment ties the Minister's hands because it is the most loose form of words that could possible be applied to an amendment of this form.

I was taken by what the Senator and the Minister had to say because they both agreed with the amendment without accepting it. Such a loose form of words could not affect the Minister's ability to appoint people with suitable qualifications.

I share the views expressed by the Minister of State and Senator Mansergh about membership of a political party. I am proud to be a member of a political party. Membership of a political party should not be a barrier to people becoming members of State boards or authorities and it is not my intention that it should be. That is not mentioned in the amendment. The amendment merely provides that the appointees should have qualifications.

We have seen in recent years the appointment of people to State boards in circumstances where other people with more suitable qualifications to take on the responsibilities of the job could have been found. The purpose of the amendment is to deal with that and I am disappointed the Minister of State could not accept it. The amendment would not have been strictly binding on the Minister for Finance.